Bicycle carriers, sometimes referred to as bicycle racks, are used to transport bicycles on vehicles. When transporting bicycles on vehicles manufacturers have constantly struggled with the problem of readily attaching the bicycle to the bicycle carrier to prevent accidents. The US patent application no. US 2007/0164065 A1 disclose a bicycle holder for a bicycle rack. The bicycle holder comprises two engagement members adapted to engage in two tracks. The engagement members embrace the bicycle rack and are said to be configured to be slideably engaged with the tracks. A securing portion in the form of a strap is used to secure the wheel of the to the bicycle holder.
The German patent application DE 10 2005 058 861 A1, Volkswagen AG, disclose a bicycle wheel holder comprising a plate and a lever. The wheel is pinched between the plate and the lever. It has now been found that wheel holders for bicycle carriers can be improved.
The wheel holder describes above suffers from the drawbacks. None of the above mentioned publications provides for a wheel holder which imparts stability to the wheel while being retained to the wheel holder. The wheels may be destabilized by air turbulence for example as the vehicle moves, such air turbulence may cause wheel to wobble for example. If a wheel wobbles, there will be a disturbing sound and vibrations in the vehicle. In the long run it may also increase the risk for fatigue breakdown of the material in the wheel holder or in other parts of the bicycle carrier. An attempt to address this problem has been to have wheel holder having cradles which support the wheel sides. These attempts have not been very successful.